roadrash
cycle chatterer
- Location
- sitting on the edge of wigan pier
the other purpose they serve is to make you and your money part company 
House Purchase Issue With The Roof Should I Worry?
- Thread starter Cletus Van Damme
- Start date
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OP
OP
Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
Yes buying a house is certainly not like Kirstie & Phil portray it on tv...
House buying I'm afraid is a skill that has to be learnt.
The first rule is to remember the Estate Agent is working for the seller, the opposition.
They are not your friend, they are not on your side
Second rule is Poker Face:
Never show massive interest in a property in front of the Agent, even if it's the dream home.
Third Rule is water: Rain and wind are the big problems in the UK. Look at guttering and drainage. how does the water get from the roof to the drain, where does the drain go ? are there signs of leaks, even a small drip leak can cause a lot of damage over a few years and can be caused by something as simple as a gutter blocked with leaves
Depending on the area the 4th rule is Subsidence:
What is the house built on ? Clay will always move, sand shifts.
Subsidence always needs a very close professional opinion
You need some building knowledge, you need to know how a property of the era and area you are buying in is put together. I'm afraid their is no quick way around this other than studying buildings inside and out, ideally whilst undergoing renovation.
You can learn a lot from books, and you tube, I'd also recommend a few visit to stately homes on wet Wednesdays when the guides have time to talk and possibly take you off piste.
Some of the best buildings are those where you can see how they are built, medieval halls, barns and churches are great.
Once tooled up, you can strike the fear of god into an Estate Agent, my wife an I now have it down to a fine art as we know what to look for, tapping on walls to listen to the rattle of falling plaster, jumping in unison on floors to listen to the rafters, not being bothered by damaged ceilings, but being concerned about where the damage came from. checking every door for alignment issues are a dead giveaways to damp or subsidence,
We always point out major defects that we find that are not obvious to the Agent and then as we leave we always put in the comment about the over price and mention the next or last property with a different agent we looked at as a comparison (which is always better)
And always Location, Location, Location!
The first rule is to remember the Estate Agent is working for the seller, the opposition.
They are not your friend, they are not on your side
Second rule is Poker Face:
Never show massive interest in a property in front of the Agent, even if it's the dream home.
Third Rule is water: Rain and wind are the big problems in the UK. Look at guttering and drainage. how does the water get from the roof to the drain, where does the drain go ? are there signs of leaks, even a small drip leak can cause a lot of damage over a few years and can be caused by something as simple as a gutter blocked with leaves
Depending on the area the 4th rule is Subsidence:
What is the house built on ? Clay will always move, sand shifts.
Subsidence always needs a very close professional opinion
You need some building knowledge, you need to know how a property of the era and area you are buying in is put together. I'm afraid their is no quick way around this other than studying buildings inside and out, ideally whilst undergoing renovation.
You can learn a lot from books, and you tube, I'd also recommend a few visit to stately homes on wet Wednesdays when the guides have time to talk and possibly take you off piste.
Some of the best buildings are those where you can see how they are built, medieval halls, barns and churches are great.
Once tooled up, you can strike the fear of god into an Estate Agent, my wife an I now have it down to a fine art as we know what to look for, tapping on walls to listen to the rattle of falling plaster, jumping in unison on floors to listen to the rafters, not being bothered by damaged ceilings, but being concerned about where the damage came from. checking every door for alignment issues are a dead giveaways to damp or subsidence,
We always point out major defects that we find that are not obvious to the Agent and then as we leave we always put in the comment about the over price and mention the next or last property with a different agent we looked at as a comparison (which is always better)
And always Location, Location, Location!
Minor adjustment, estate agents work for their commission. They will often work in the interests of pushing a sale through to earn their commission rather than the vendors’ best interests. Getting an extra £10k for the vendor will earn them marginal commission. They would often not risk it to make sure the sale happens at a lower amount of its more likely to get pushed through.
Rusty Nails
We remember
- Location
- Living in the slow lane
^^^ This is undoubtedly true. Quick, certain commission is better for them than more work and uncertainty.
OP
OP
Cletus Van Damme
Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
- Location
- Out in the sticks...
An estate agent has never worked hard for me on house sales unless I have been on thier back chasing every single day. Last house I sold I had a sign made by a local signmaker and put the place up for £25,000 more than the agents suggested and had a buyer in 45 minutes.
Why do not for sale signs have prices on, mine did.
Why do not for sale signs have prices on, mine did.
